Despite what some of our professionals and board members may prefer not to admit, the Internet is here to stay. After a full decade of public use, the web has become an integrated part of every business and every non-profit. Even if you are ignoring your organizations' web presence, others are not. You may be losing donations to a competing group because they are (more) actively using the Internet. Or you are losing out because potential donors, volunteers, board members, or funders are evaluating your non-profit based on your web presence, or lack thereof.
Just some of the ways the web impacts your every day ability to fulfill your mission:
Educating the public
Enhancing your organization’s reputation among the press, civic leaders, foundations and corporations
The attraction and … [Read more...]

Rule #1: Don't become invisible
If you build it, they won't just come. Building an online brand is just as important and just as difficult as building an off-line brand.
Rule #2: It takes "know how" and vision
Your organization's website is a marketing and fundraising tool. NOT A TECHNOLOGY TOOL. Fundraisers and marketers need to be driving the content, not the web developer.
Rule #3: It's all about the donor
Put the Donor First! Know your contributors, let them get to know you.
Rule #4: Keep savvy donors; stay fresh & current
Make online giving enjoyable and easy. Give the donor options. Use the latest technology. Show your donor how their funds are being used.
Rule #5: Integrate into everything you do
Your website alone will do nothing. Every activity you have should drive … [Read more...]

If you're sitting at your computer hugging your organization's mission statement, branding guide and/or special event brochure (the one that was approved by everyone in your office, your board, your babysitter, etc. etc.), it's time to take a deep breath-this idea might scare you.
It's time to turn your message over to your constituents.
That's right: let your fundraisers spread the word for you, outside of your direct reach. People are most likely to donate to a cause if asked by someone they know. Unless you personally know everyone in your town, city, state, country, etc., you need to call in the big guns: your wired fundraisers.
Wired fundraisers come in two varieties: passionate fundraisers who happen to use social networking (also known as Web 2.0) tools and people who use these tools … [Read more...]

Are social networking sites like MySpace or FaceBook likely to be a good fit for your non-profit's goals? In a new post from Idealware, Brett Bonfield explores how you know if social networking is right for you.
You've likely heard of Web sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn. These types of tools, collectively known as social networking sites, allow individuals (and sometimes organizations) to create online profiles, discover others who share their interests, and create an online network of contacts and supporters.
Social networking sites have received a lot of attention from the nonprofit world because they align with nonprofits' desire to reach out to larger communities. If your local animal shelter could tap into a network of cat lovers in your area, the logic goes, wouldn't that … [Read more...]

Gratz Online, the virtual campus of Gratz College, a graduate and undergraduate college of Jewish Studies located just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, announces a new Spring semester online course, Fundraising in the Organized Jewish Community.
This course will teach the student how to initiate a fundraising campaign, how to manage and promote it, handle the accounting, and allocate the funds within the organization. Topics include Major Gifts, Planned Giving, Transforming Volunteers into Donors, and Prospect Research. Lectures and relevant case studies from Jewish communal organizations, as well as role playing, will be used to teach the material.
This course is offered as a part of an Online Certificate in Jewish Non-Profit Management, a program designed to sharpen the skills of … [Read more...]

In its whitepaper, “E-Philanthropy Strategy for Nonprofits — Cast a Wider Net,” nonprofit software and services provider Blackbaud suggests that nonprofits consider the questions donors and potential supporters ask most often during phone conversations, and make the answers easily accessible on their Web sites. Among them:
What is your mission
What community do you serve
How would you use my donation
How will you acknowledge my donation
Do you need volunteers
How do I get to your office
Where do you get most of your funding
How can I help
What are the benefits of joining your organization
What percentage of donations is dedicated to operating expenses
When is your next fundraiser … [Read more...]

Second Life Israel was launched Sunday, enabling SL users from around the world to visit Israel’s beaches and historic sites. The virtual state, preceded by a whole Jewish neighborhood in Second Life, is a work in progress, meant to, “present Israel to a global audience beyond the traditional media,” according to co-founder Chaim Landau.
"This is a concept of Israel as a fun, entertaining, thriving and diverse community for Jews and non-Jews, and a home for Israelis on Second Life."
The creation of Second Life Israel marks the beginning of a new chapter in digital Jewish society. Focusing on a range of areas, from the holy sites of Jerusalem as well as the modern life and tourist attractions known around the world it also brings Israel in line with other countries that have digital … [Read more...]

Great video from the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley about how their funds are allocated. The inspiration came from a group of young lay-leaders who were frustrated with how to explain and promote the Federation’s mission in an appealing and positive way.
"No gift touches more lives, including you own"
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zb_51995i4&feature=user[/youtube]
Animation by David Hollin
Music by The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band
Inspiration by Jacob Orrin and Tomer Kagan.
Viral marketing by Oyster
tip of the hat to: facebook group … [Read more...]

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